It’s that time of year again. PNC Wealth Management has released the 22nd annual “Christmas Price Index”, which reports the cost of the gifts in the holiday classic “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.
This year the total cost is $18,920.59, a 3.1% increase over last year’s cost of $18,348.87.
The price of half the items remained the same as 2005. The greatest increase – 38.1%% - was in the cost of the partridge in a pear tree. Although the price of the actual partridge remained constant, the cost of a pear tree was up by $40.00, an increase of 44.4% due to “robust commercial construction.” The 4 calling birds were up 20%.
Labor costs for performers and musicians increased from 3% to 4%. Once again the 9 Ladies Dancing were the most expensive item on the list at $4,759.19, a 4% increase from 2005. I know from experience that dancing ladies are expensive. The leaping lords were not far behind at $4,160.25.
It appears that performing artists still have a better union than musicians, as the dancing ladies and leaping lords earned cost twice as much as the pipers and drummers. The poor maids-a-milking continue to be paid the minimum wage, which has not increased since 1997. Their cost was only $1.20 more than the cheapest item on the list, the 2 turtle doves, which clocked in at $40.00.
For more information on the Christmas Price Index go to www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com.
This year the total cost is $18,920.59, a 3.1% increase over last year’s cost of $18,348.87.
The price of half the items remained the same as 2005. The greatest increase – 38.1%% - was in the cost of the partridge in a pear tree. Although the price of the actual partridge remained constant, the cost of a pear tree was up by $40.00, an increase of 44.4% due to “robust commercial construction.” The 4 calling birds were up 20%.
Labor costs for performers and musicians increased from 3% to 4%. Once again the 9 Ladies Dancing were the most expensive item on the list at $4,759.19, a 4% increase from 2005. I know from experience that dancing ladies are expensive. The leaping lords were not far behind at $4,160.25.
It appears that performing artists still have a better union than musicians, as the dancing ladies and leaping lords earned cost twice as much as the pipers and drummers. The poor maids-a-milking continue to be paid the minimum wage, which has not increased since 1997. Their cost was only $1.20 more than the cheapest item on the list, the 2 turtle doves, which clocked in at $40.00.
For more information on the Christmas Price Index go to www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com.
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